


Better Than the Man I Used to Be

by Pluttskutt



Series: FH Flatmates AU [4]
Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: M/M, a not at all eventful evening with friends, fenris making friends, just people eating and laughing and chillin, you know it's all friendly and fluffy and nice and nothing happens
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-19
Updated: 2016-12-19
Packaged: 2018-09-09 20:05:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8910199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pluttskutt/pseuds/Pluttskutt
Summary: Garrett brings Fenris to meet a few of his close friends and they have a nice evening.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I've been editing this piece for like 3 months. I love all the kudos and comments on the other parts in this series, and so I want to work harder on editing. I'll try to balance it out more for next part. I hope you enjoy this part!

Garrett sipped his juice. He leant on the kitchen sink and looked out the window. The sun was up. There was no rain. Fascinating weather. Almost as fascinating as watching Fenris emerge from his room every other minute with a new shirt. He'd go to the bathroom, get back to his room, and emerge with another shirt on him. Garrett concluded he checked himself out in the bathroom mirror and decided to change.

“Do you need help with anything?” Garrett asked when he heard the drapery move again. It wasn't annoying. They wouldn't be late. Cooper whined from the hallway occasionally. Garrett guessed Fenris reeked of anxiety.

“If it is not too much trouble,” Fenris said from the hallway. Garrett stood up straight and walked out to him. Black jeans (new ones, tighter), a black t-shirt (low in the neck), and an uncomfortable posture. He didn't want to wear those clothes.

“Are those jeans comfortable?” Garrett asked. Some preferred tight. Others loose. He preferred loose.

“Should I change?” he didn't look comfortable, so he should change. Garrett wondered if he asked for permission but hid it behind a question.

“If you're comfortable with those clothes, wear them,” Fenris looked at him. Said nothing. “We'll be inside playing games and eating food, so wear something comfortable,” he suggested. Fenris frowned.

“I will go change,” he walked back into his room. Garrett rolled his eyes. Sipped his juice. Carver couldn't decide on a shirt to save his life. His hair, however, did what he wanted. Apparently, he inherited some kind of manageable hair. Bethany also had manageable hair. It wasn't fair.

“Is this appropriate?” Fenris pushed the drapery aside. He wore black pants, a grey shirt that went down his thighs, and a black cardigan that went down his knees.

“Are you comfortable?” Garrett asked. He hadn't thought about it before but seeing him use the clothes was odd. Weird. Not that Fenris was odd and weird. The clothes were.

“Garrett,” Fenris said his name. He blinked. Crap. At least Fenris adapted fast to saying his name when he zoned out.

“Sorry what?” he apologised. One shouldn't zone out when looking at another person. That would be taken the wrong way.

“Should we be on our way?” Fenris asked. Cooper stood up and walked over to the door. He thought it was time to leave.

“Yah, I'll just grab the food,” Garrett headed into the kitchen and opened the fridge. He grabbed the plastic bag with the meat and closed the door. He checked Cooper's water bowl to be sure there was enough and walked out to the hallway again.

“What are you cooking?” Fenris asked. He wore a black beanie pulled over his ears. Garrett thought it was too hot outside for it, but didn't comment. Fenris always covered his ears when they went outside.

“Meatballs, hope you like homemade,” Garrett put on his shoes. Fenris had already done so. “I know you'll be good on your own, it’s only for a few hours,” he reached a hand out to Cooper, who licked it. He smiled and patted the hound. Grabbed his keys. Fenris walked out behind him and locked the door. They headed down the stairs while Garrett fished up his phone from his pocket to text that they were on their way.

“Should we not bring a gift?” Fenris asked when they walked out the street door. “Or is that not a custom here?” he asked when Garrett chuckled.

“Yah, but I have a gift ready, just gotta pick it up,” he explained. It hadn't been obvious before he moved to Kirkwall to bring gifts when he visited. Bethany scolded him for it the first time he visited Merrill's and brought nothing for her. He learnt his lesson.

“What is the gift?” Fenris asked and walked to the passenger side when they were by the car.

“A cake,” Garrett smiled. A selfish gift. He asked Sunshine if she could bake a chocolate cake. Fenris liked chocolate. He hadn't asked about going to the bakery again but he should still get cake.

“I see,” Fenris said and sat down. Garrett dumped the plastic bag in the back seat before he sat down.

“We're picking it up at the local bakery, then we're driving to Isabela's,” he explained. Fenris leant back. “You're still okay with tagging along, right?” Garrett asked. Fenris said he wanted to come but he still had a chance to stay home. It would be fine, Garrett wanted him to be comfortable.

“I am grateful for the invite,” Fenris said. He glanced at Garrett, who smiled. He was glad Fenris didn't want to spend all his time at home.

“Oh yeah,” Garrett fished up his phone from his pocket before he started the car. He needed music. It prevented forced conversation. “Can you open the glove compartment and see if my sunglasses are there?” he asked and started the car. Picked a playlist at random. His music taste was all good anyways so it wouldn't matter.

“These?” Fenris asked and held out a pair of sunglasses. So he had left them without their case for protection. How irresponsible.

“Thank you,” he took the glasses from Fenris and put his phone in his hands as an exchange. “If you wanna be DJ,” he explained and put the sunglasses on. He could see. It was a miracle.  
The drive went quickly. There was little traffic, and Fenris didn't mind having a cardboard box in his lap. He was responsible for the cake. A mission he took upon himself when he asked if Garrett was sure the cake wouldn't move around if they put it in the back seat.

“Here we are,” he parked on an empty space. Isabela rented it even tho she didn't own a car (at the moment) so he used it when he visited. “I'll walk around and grab the cake from you so you can get out,” he opened his door. Grabbed the car keys. Those were good to bring along he figured.

“The bag behind you,” Fenris said when Garrett got out of the car. He wondered what could possibly make Fenris think he'd forget about it.

“Got it,” he stretched his arm behind the driver’s seat to reach it. Grabbed it and lifted it out. Shut the door.

“Yoho!” a woman shouted from above. He looked up and saw Isabela lean on her balcony railing. He put a hand up as greeting and went around to help Fenris. He opened the door and grabbed the box with his free hand.

“Thank you,” Fenris said. He took a step back so Fenris could get out.

“Thanks for holding it,” he smiled. Locked the car when Fenris shut his door.

“At last my love has come along!” Isabela shouted from the balcony. Garrett rolled his eyes. Fenris turned his head to locate the woman who shouted at them.

“Your lonely days are over!” Garrett shouted back at her. “Can you grab the cake?” he turned to Fenris. Who held out his hands without responding. Garrett handed him the box and locked the car. Headed towards the big number 16. Their street door had no code, but the doors locked at night and could only be opened with a key. Garrett preferred door codes.

“Thank you,” Fenris said politely when Garrett opened the door for him to go through first. Garrett smiled in return, and Fenris looked away. They continued up the stairs.

“The shouting woman was Isabela by the way,” Garrett said when they reached the top floor. He turned right, and the first door in the corridor opened. Isabela leant out the door with a smile.

“My handsome dog lord,” she held out her arms for a hug. He showed her the bag of meat. “We can hug after you ditch that, go on come inside,” she gestured for them to hurry. Garrett walked past her. Fenris stopped before her.

“I didn't know you were handsome, I love those tattoos,” she complimented him. Garrett groaned. “Hush you,” she looked at him and winked. He wanted to leave the hallway.

“Thank you for the invite,” Fenris said. He walked inside after those words, and Isabela shut the door.

“You're most welcome, let me just grab that,” she took the box and walked away into the kitchen. Fenris removed his shoes and his beanie. He brushed his hand through his white hair twice, and it looked fine. Garrett envied his hair. It looked manageable.

“Should we join Isabela?” Fenris asked and looked at him. Garrett nodded and walked left in the short corridor. He saw Fenris look around them at the apartment. He wondered how the apartment looked for Fenris.

The rooms were bigger than Garrett's. From the front door, you saw into the living room, where the balcony was. White wallpaper with black anchors set the theme in the apartment. A ship hung over the entrance to the living room. Photos of Isabela with her friends decorated the walls. In one she was with a close friend, both wearing captain's hats.

“Hello!” Merrill greeted them when they entered the kitchen. She smiled and hurried over to give Garrett a hug.

“Hellu,” he smiled when she squeezed. Merrill was a good hugger. “This is Fenris,” he gestured when she let him go.

“Hello! Welcome! This isn't my house, but I’m here a lot, Garrett used to be, we're so happy you're here!” she clasped her hand together and beamed. She made no movement to touch him. Garrett hoped Fenris didn't understand he told her not to.

“Thank you,” he said. Gave her a small smile.

“Wow, you've outdone yourself this time, feel bad for neglecting me?” Isabela asked when she opened the box. “A chocolate cake with roses made with chocolate icing? You do know how to please your friends,” she winked. He nodded and hoped it was a good apology. He had apologised of course (a hundred times) but it'd never be enough.

“I do my best,” he chuckled. Fenris glanced at him but said nothing. “Where's Varric? Should we start cooking without him?” he asked to get the evening started. Fenris hadn't moved from his side. He felt awful but he had to dump Fenris with Merrill or Isabela. Most likely Isabela as she didn't cook. Neither did Fenris, so the two had common ground.

“Oh yes, we should, I'm hungry,” Merrill agreed. “I'll help you cook so it will go faster,” an offer Garrett expected. It was often Merrill who joined him in the kitchen. Carver would join (he was an awful mincer) when he visited. The others joined for tasting.

“While you're being all domestic, I'll show Fenris around,” Isabela put the box aside. Merrill grabbed Garrett's arm and shoved him to the sink. He glanced at Fenris for any signs that he didn't like the plan, but his face was neutral.

“You should prepare the meat,” Merrill smiled. Isabela walked passed them and guided Fenris out from the kitchen. Garrett decided to focus on the food and not them.

“Can you get the eggs?” he asked and opened a drawer to retrieve a mixing bowl. Isabela's kitchen was bigger and made him miss the kitchen back at his house. The kitchen table was big and had room for everyone. The limit at the kitchen table in the apartment was four people. Not that it mattered because he didn't invite people over but he missed it. If he lived at the house everyone would fit, which he couldn't because then he'd have to sell the apartment and someone would be a tad unnerved at having nowhere to live if they came to Kirkwall.

“Garrett,” Merrill said his name and brought him back to reality. He blinked. He should learn not to zone out. Was there a class?

“Sorry, I spaced out, what did you say?” he asked. Looked down at the bench. He'd mixed the meat and eggs already. Wasn't he productive when he didn't think about what he was doing?

“Do you and Fenris get along?” he grabbed salt and pepper. He felt as if he did it in the wrong order, but didn't care enough to admit it. No one complained and since they made him in charge of cooking every time he had to do something right.

“I haven't heard from Varric yet that Fenris wants to move, so I'd say we do,” it wasn’t for him to say. He lived with other people all his life. They were blood-related but it taught him how to set rules, assert himself, and that opinions weren’t the end of the world.

“You look better, I'm so glad you joined us tonight,” she smiled. He was glad too. It was overdue that he joined them on game night again.

“Me too,” he opened the drawer over the stove and took out a frying pan. She walked over to the fridge to get butter. He looked at the oven and saw that it was on, but it was empty.

“Do I put the potato sticks in now?” Merrill asked. “I wasn't sure Fenris would like only salad so I bought a bag, does he like potato sticks? I like the ones you cook, you have to show me next time, we can help each other,” she suggested. He should show both her and Fenris how to cook sometime. Apparently, Fenris hadn't been aware that certain pasta stayed on the top of the water instead of sinking. The water boiled over and the stove locked itself because of it. Fenris thought he broke it.

“Yah of course, and you should put them in now,” Garrett opened the department under the oven and took out a pan. He had to wait 10 minutes before he fried his meat clumps. He could use those ten minutes to make meatballs but he just didn't have enough motivation. It'd still taste the same.

“Do you cook for Fenris and you?” she asked and put the bag of potato sticks next to the pan. Fries would also be a good name but she insisted on potato sticks. He wondered if it was the elvish word for it but hadn't asked. t.

“Dinner, and lunch if I'm home on the day, he likes most of it,” Fenris ate vegetables (thank the maker for that), soup, chicken, vegetarian, but not seafood. Anything from the sea was a big no. He hadn't even tried to hide it when Garrett asked him if they should eat fish. He looked near insulted.

“What does he do when you're away?” she poured the bag into the pan. The whole bag. He looked at the pan, at her, at the pan, and wondered who she thought would eat it all.

“The other day he washed our clothes and beddings, and the day before he vacuumed and wiped the floor, so I imagine he's dying of boredom,” he hadn't said anything about it. He mentioned he had to wash his beddings but didn't imagine Fenris would do so.

“Do you leave him alone often?” she asked. He took a step to the side so she could put the pan into the oven.

“Leave him alone? He's not my pet,” he already had one. Didn't need another. “I'm thinking I should leave Cooper home with him next time I go to the office, just to be sure he leaves the apartment a few times,” he was pretty sure Fenris spent the day inside his room if Garrett didn't drag him out. Fenris didn't object to leaving the apartment, but he didn't do it on his own. So Garrett felt like he dragged Fenris out.

“Manipulating him to go outside?” well, yes. In a way. Fenris didn't mind taking walks with Garrett so he should be fine on his own. Cooper liked him. Okay, fine manipulating wasn't an okay thing to do but if he asked Fenris first and he said yes, then it would work. It's not like it was for an evil cause. He just thought Fenris would do with some sunlight. D-vitamin.

“I wouldn't leave Cooper without asking first,” he clarified. Not that Cooper was difficult. He didn't pull the leash (but he could refuse to go back if he thought the walk wasn't long enough), he showed clearly when he needed to go out, he didn't jump on anyone, and his tail wagging was adorable.

“What do you do with him? When you go out I mean, or do you spend time inside too?” was their relationship that interesting? He didn’t mind the questions but he wondered if the others also had questions.

“I took him to Mio, the furniture store so he'd get a wardrobe, and a table lamp, and Tyresta park for long walks with Cooper, and the bakery of course,” they didn't do much. He didn't know what to do. He could take Fenris to a mall but wasn't sure Fenris would enjoy it. He was fine paying for lunch ( or coffee or whatever) but every time he did Fenris acted strangely.

“You should take him to the milkshake palace,” she suggested. “Or the amusement park? Oh! What about the zoo? The animals are fun,” her eyes sparkled at the suggestion. Maybe he should take her to those places?

“He doesn't like me paying for him all the time,” Garrett sighed. Whenever Fenris wanted something and Garrett bought it, he became tense. Anxious.

“He needs a job,” she smiled. Yes, Fenris needed his own income. Garrett knew that.

“He can't apply for a job, he's not here legally,” her eyes widened. Maybe he shouldn't have said it so flat but it was true. Fenris had no ID, no papers, nothing. He most likely did not have a bank account, so he wouldn't be able to get paid. He'd have to work for cash.

“What about the bakery?” she suggested. He shook his head.

“If I hire him he's gonna feel more indebted, which would defeat the purpose of him getting a job,” he thought about it before. It was possible to hire Fenris for office work, but that wasn't his decision to make.

“How's the food coming?” Isabela asked and leant on the doorframe. “Varric's on his way up, he needed help to carry the copious amount of alcohol he bought so Fenris volunteered,” Garrett wondered why he'd want to leave the apartment for a minute but didn't ask. It was possible he and Varric had a few things to discuss. Maybe Varric could help him find a job? Garrett would ask later.

The evening went smoothly. Since Fenris was with them, the others didn't ask how Garrett felt about everything. Because it meant they had to explain what everything was, which wasn’t a fun topic. Garrett didn't want Fenris to know. Not that he could keep it a secret for much longer.

Fenris was good at Wicked Grace. He won two bags of onion rings that he gave to the hostess (he said it was a compliment to the hostess and not because he disliked them), a Pringles tube, and a bag of cheese puffs. Garrett was impressed.

The later it got, the more they drank, and Garrett saw Fenris unwind with them. He hadn't heard Varric's stories before, and Varric wanted to share them all. He laughed at Isabela's jokes. Complimented Merrill on her salad (he even finished it) and agreed that potato sticks were a better name. His shoulders relaxed the more they chatted.

When Isabela brought out the chocolate cake, she and Fenris were the ones who ate the most. Varric ate one slice and was satisfied. Merrill barely ate a half, so Garrett finished it for her. Isabela and Fenris both ate two slices. When they talked about a third slice each, Garrett decided it was time to leave. Cooper had been alone for a few hours, and he didn't want to carry a sleeping Fenris up seven stairs. He wondered if he even could.

“Same time next week?” Isabela winked and hugged them both when they left. Merrill hugged Garrett but not Fenris, and Varric fist bumped Garrett. Okay, it was Garrett who fist bumped him and Varric rolled his eyes.

“Farwell,” Garrett waved and stepped out the door. Fenris walked beside him down the stairs. A bit uncertain with his steps, but not wobbly. Still, Garrett wanted to be kind since he knew some tasks were difficult when intoxicated.

“I got it,” Garrett said opened the passenger door for him. Fenris climbed inside and sat down. He said nothing when the car started or on their way home. Garrett glanced at him a few times to be sure he was awake. He stared out the window in the dark and said nothing.

He walked out of the car steadily when they were home. The stairs were no trouble either. Garrett wondered if he should break the silence when they got inside but decided not to. Fenris could be so tired from meeting new people and socialising he needed quiet.

Cooper talked with Garrett, complaining no doubt. He came out from his bedroom and stretched with a yawn.

“I have to walk him,” Fenris looked at him. “You're okay with being alone for a bit, right? Won't be long,” he dropped the car keys in the key bowl.

“Yes,” came the answer. The first word he uttered since they left Isabela’s.

“Great, and thanks for coming with me, I hope you had a good time,” Garrett smiled and looked at him. Fenris walked closer, so Garrett moved out of the way so he could hang off his jacket. “We'll be back in a few,” he grabbed the leash and put it around Cooper's neck. Cooper stood up and stared at the door.

“Garrett,” Fenris said his name. He looked at the other, raised his eyebrows. Was there something wrong? Hadn't Fenris enjoyed dinner?

“Are you okay?” he asked. Fenris grabbed his shirt with one hand. Looked down. Was he about to pass out? Garrett put his hands on his waist to keep him steady. Fenris pulled him closer and kissed him. Garrett didn't understand how they got into that position but they did.

Fenris pulled away abruptly. His eyes were wide in shock. He let go of Garrett and backed away.

“I'm sorry,” he hurried to apologise. Tes apology was different than the ones Garrett heard before. It was panic.

“It's fine,” Garrett managed to say. Fenris was drunk. He wouldn't have done it if he wasn't. “I have to go,” he grabbed the leash and headed out.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm writing more in detail about Fenris' interaction with the others in coming parts. If there's a mistake somewhere tell me, or if something is unclear ask. I won't update until after 24th because it's Christmas but I'm editing next part this week so it could be up next week. Thanks for reading!


End file.
